


Beautiful Dreamer

by warriorofculture



Category: SpongeBob SquarePants (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25373383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warriorofculture/pseuds/warriorofculture
Summary: Spongebob hears a mysterious song and tries to investigateBased on the song "Beautiful Dreamer" Squidward sang during the end credits of "Truth or Square"Listenhere
Relationships: SpongeBob SquarePants/Squidward Tentacles
Kudos: 48





	Beautiful Dreamer

He awoke one morning, the sound of his alarm blaring at his bedside. He shut it off before hopping out of bed and preparing himself for the day. After feeding his pet snail and eating breakfast, he walked into the living room and looked about him.

“I think it’s time I do some cleaning,” he stated, “but first, let me open the window to get some fresh air in here.”

He pushed open the window and smiled as he felt the mild weather of the day drifting into his house. It was a lovely day, and it energised him to start working. He stepped away from the window to grab his vacuum cleaner and started cleaning the floor.

_Beautiful dreamer  
Out on the sea~_

He shut off the vacuum and listened. He thought he heard someone singing… but that couldn’t be right, as no one was outside. Regardless, he went to the open window and peered outside. As he thought, the only sights from his vantage point were the two houses next to his. Nobody was outside of their home.

Shrugging, he put away the vacuum cleaner and brought out a feather duster. He made sure to take extra care to get all the spots on top of the shelves and pictures hanging on the walls, as well as between the knickknacks. He started humming a little tune to himself to help occupy his mind whilst cleaning.

_Mermaids are chanting  
The wild Lorelei_

He stopped. There it was again. He knew it had to be someone singing, but who? The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. He was also certain he’d heard the song before, but it must have been a long time ago.

Again, he checked the window, but not a soul was seen. He looked at the upper level of the moai house next to his, and saw the windows were closed. The rock on the opposite side of the moai house was flat against the ground.

So who--?

_Over the streamlet  
Vapours are born  
Waiting to fade  
At the bright coming morn_

His eyes widened in shock as he finally placed the voice. “Squidward…?” he breathed as he looked up once again at the closed windows. How could he hear his neighbour’s voice so clearly, though the windows were closed?

He squinted and made out a small gap in one of the windows. He didn’t know if Squidward was aware of it, but it was wide enough for his voice to come through quite clearly.

_Beautiful dreamer  
Beam on my heart  
Even as the morn  
On the streamlet and sea_

He rested his elbows on his own windowsill and propped his head up on his hands. He felt as though the words were a cloud he could lay back on and drift far away in peaceful bliss. The singing evoked a strong sense of nostalgia within him, taking him back many years to when he was much younger.

_Then will all clouds  
Of sorrow depart  
Beautiful dreamer  
Wake unto me~_

He sighed in contentment, his previous thoughts of cleaning completely out of his mind. All he could think about was the wondrous singing and beautiful lyrics. After a few moments, he realised the singing had stopped, and his thoughts came back into focus. He blinked a few times before straightening up.

How in the world could that song and voice have come from Squidward? He’d heard the octopus singing before, but it never sounded like that. It was almost as though he’d been put under a spell with the way the singing had drawn him away from his work.

He had to find out what was going on.

He raced out the front door of his house and crossed over the yards to the house next door. He knocked on his neighbour’s door. “Squidward!” he called.

A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Squidward, who frowned down at him. “What do you want, Spongebob?” he demanded.

“Were you singing earlier?” Spongebob asked.

“Yes, what’s it to you?”

“It was really good!” Spongebob gushed. “I’ve never heard you singing like that before.”

Squidward’s angered look vanished, replaced by a confused one. “You… haven’t?”

“Nuh-uh.” Spongebob shook his head for emphasis. “I mean, I have heard you sing before, like when you were trying out for the Bikini Bottom men’s choir, but it didn’t sound like what I’d just heard.”

Squidward’s expression was blank.

“I guess it’s kinda hard to explain…” Spongebob looked a bit flustered. “But I swear, the way you were singing just a little while ago was amazing.”

“It was?” Squidward raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’ve never felt like I did when I was listening to you.”

“…What?”

“It felt like the words were taking me far away, to someplace I’d been a long time ago,” Spongebob explained. “It was magical.”

Squidward was at a loss of words. He knew Spongebob automatically liked anything he did, but he’d never heard the little sponge – or anyone, for that matter – give such a description for his singing.

As he tried to think of what to say in response, Spongebob spoke up again. “Can you sing it again?”

“Huh?”

“That song from earlier, can you sing it again?”

Squidward gaped at Spongebob. Even this simple little request wasn’t something he’d normally do, either. “Uhh… sure,” he answered.

“Yaaaay!” Spongebob pushed past him to enter his house.

“Spongebob, what—”

“C’mon!” Spongebob beckoned him closer. “I wanna hear the song again.”

Squidward sighed. “Alright, but the tape is upstairs.”

“Then let’s go!” Spongebob ran towards him, grabbed his wrist and dragged him upstairs.

In the gallery, Spongebob finally let go of Squidward’s arm. The octopus walked over to a music stand he had set up nearby a window – Spongebob quickly realised this was also why he’d heard Squidward so clearly earlier – where a small boom box rested on it. He rewound the tape that was in it, then pressed play. Gentle music drifted from the speakers and Squidward cleared his throat before singing.

_Beautiful dreamer  
Out on the sea  
Mermaids are chanting  
The wild Lorelei_

_Over the streamlet  
Vapours are born  
Waiting to fade  
At the bright coming morn_

_Beautiful dreamer  
Beam on my heart  
Even as the morn  
On the streamlet and sea_

_Then will all clouds  
Of sorrow depart  
Beautiful dreamer  
Wake unto me~_

The music continued to play for a bit before Squidward stopped the tape. “Happy now?” he asked, turning around.

Spongebob was gazing at him with adoration. “That was so beautiful,” he said, awe apparent in his tone.

Squidward, who was irritated at essentially being forced to sing the song a second time, felt his anger vanish. Ordinarily, Spongebob’s compliments were unheeded, since he knew it was mostly the little sponge being polite and supportive, but he could tell it was different this time. Spongebob was truly captivated by his singing.

“Uhh… thanks,” he half-mumbled, not sure what else to say.

“Where’d you learn to sing like that?” Spongebob asked, oblivious to Squidward’s confusion.

“Where…?” Squidward was caught off-guard. “It’s the same as it always has been; I’ve had a few voice lessons over the years, but mostly I’m self-taught. Why do you ask?”

“I just thought you might’ve gotten in some more lessons somewhere,” Spongebob replied. “I’ve never heard you singing like that before, and it’s just… just…”

“Yeah, okay, you’ve heard my song again, so you can go.”

“B- But…”

“No buts, just go.” Squidward pointed towards the staircase. He’d had enough of all this strange behaviour.

“Okay…” Spongebob looked downcast as he trudged to the stairs. However, he paused at the top of the first step and turned back around to look at his neighbour. “I still think that was the most beautiful singing I’ve ever heard, Squidward, and I’d like to hear it again sometime.” Without waiting for an answer, he walked downstairs. Within moments, Squidward could hear the front door opening and closing.

He moved to the window and gazed outside, where he could see Spongebob heading back to his house. Without a word, the sea sponge opened his front door, walked inside and closed it behind him.

Squidward kept his gaze on the closed door for several long minutes. He could hardly believe what he’d heard Spongebob say before he left. He could also hardly believe how the little sponge had reacted to his singing, even though he’d seen it with his own eyes.

And how had Squidward reacted?

By telling him to leave.

“Maybe I reacted a little too harshly…” he mumbled. His gaze drifted to one of the windows in Spongebob’s house; it was wide open. That was likely how his neighbour had heard his singing.

At Spongebob’s house, the little sponge sadly returned to his cleaning. He’d finished the dusting, so the next order of business was laundry. As he crossed the living room, he caught sight of the open window. He had opened it to get some fresh air, but now it was a reminder of Squidward’s reaction to his compliments.

He walked to the window and reached out a hand to grab the window. As his fingers touched the glass, he heard something nearby.

_Beautiful dreamer  
Out on the sea…_

Spongebob gasped and looked upward. One of Squidward’s windows was wide open, and gentle music drifted from it, along with Squidward’s voice.

Spongebob’s vision blurred with tears as he leaned on the windowsill and let the sound of Squidward’s voice take him away again.


End file.
